When did weaving become a male profession?
The article discusses the development and technological changes within weaving in the Middle Ages when it developed into a major craft and one of the most important industries of the Middle Ages in Northern Europe. While prehistoric weaving appears as a predominantly female work domain, weaving bec...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Editorial Board of DJA
2016-11-01
|
| Series: | Danish Journal of Archaeology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/124844 |
| _version_ | 1797600518708658176 |
|---|---|
| author | Ingvild Øye |
| author_facet | Ingvild Øye |
| author_sort | Ingvild Øye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The article discusses the development and technological changes within weaving in the Middle Ages when it developed into a major craft and one of the most important industries of the Middle Ages in Northern Europe. While prehistoric weaving appears as a predominantly female work domain, weaving became a male profession in urban contexts, organised within guilds. Hence, it has almost become a dogma that the expanding medieval textile industry, and corresponding transition from a female to a male work domain, was caused by new technology – the horizontal treadle loom. By utilising various source categories, documentary, iconographic and archaeological evidence, the article substantiates that the conception of the medieval weaver as a male craftsman should be adjusted and the long-established dichotomy between male professional craftsmen and weavers, and women as homework producers of textiles should be modified, also when related to guilds. The change from a domestic household-based production to a more commercially based industry took place at different times and scales in various areas of Europe and did not only involve men.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:49:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe236ffb5a984d70914bf2f74a9e1952 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2166-2290 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:49:15Z |
| publishDate | 2016-11-01 |
| publisher | Editorial Board of DJA |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Danish Journal of Archaeology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe236ffb5a984d70914bf2f74a9e19522023-11-18T01:03:36ZengEditorial Board of DJADanish Journal of Archaeology2166-22902016-11-01510.1080/21662282.2016.1245970When did weaving become a male profession?Ingvild Øye The article discusses the development and technological changes within weaving in the Middle Ages when it developed into a major craft and one of the most important industries of the Middle Ages in Northern Europe. While prehistoric weaving appears as a predominantly female work domain, weaving became a male profession in urban contexts, organised within guilds. Hence, it has almost become a dogma that the expanding medieval textile industry, and corresponding transition from a female to a male work domain, was caused by new technology – the horizontal treadle loom. By utilising various source categories, documentary, iconographic and archaeological evidence, the article substantiates that the conception of the medieval weaver as a male craftsman should be adjusted and the long-established dichotomy between male professional craftsmen and weavers, and women as homework producers of textiles should be modified, also when related to guilds. The change from a domestic household-based production to a more commercially based industry took place at different times and scales in various areas of Europe and did not only involve men. https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/124844Textile productiontechnologyweavinggender rolescraftsguilds |
| spellingShingle | Ingvild Øye When did weaving become a male profession? Danish Journal of Archaeology Textile production technology weaving gender roles crafts guilds |
| title | When did weaving become a male profession? |
| title_full | When did weaving become a male profession? |
| title_fullStr | When did weaving become a male profession? |
| title_full_unstemmed | When did weaving become a male profession? |
| title_short | When did weaving become a male profession? |
| title_sort | when did weaving become a male profession |
| topic | Textile production technology weaving gender roles crafts guilds |
| url | https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/124844 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ingvildøye whendidweavingbecomeamaleprofession |